Good news...the economy is actually picking up.

[Hajo]

Having worked in the Steel Industry for 39 years I have never experienced such a downturn in the business as we suffered since last October.

Usually when business slows, which usually occured in the 4th quarter the steel Industry would either slow production
of Ironmaking by blowing out a Blast Furnace or just simply decreasing the productivity of their Blast Furnaces.  Usually
it was business as usuall albeit slower.  We continued to run realizing that business again would pick up usually at mid
first quarter. We then would ramp up the production of smelting iron ore to fill the incoming steel orders.

Since last October many many companies just blew the furnaces down.  Ceased production altogether.  Ceasing production
in entire plants.  This of course laid off many who worked or depended on the steel industry for a living.  And believe me there
are many orbital businesses that depend on the manufacture of steel.

The good news at least for our company is that our facility in Detroit is full go.  Production is up at other facilities also in cities
like Cleveland etc.  Acelor/Mittal is starting a second furnace at its' Cleveland works.

So heres' hoping many get back to work soon.  Inventories are down.  Orders are up!

This is a good sign.  Let's hope it is long range.

[Wolfie]

Not seeing it here in the construction industry.

 

[Hajo]

Wolfie....a lot of the blame for the slowness of the construction industry belongs directed at the Banks, consumer confidence,

and if you're building housing units, the crazy prices homes were selling for.  Of course housing prices vary from region to region.

When someone in California pays 400,000 for a home and someone  in Ohio purchases the same home for 200,000 that truly is a wide

disparity.

[VonMessa]

My Grandfather has told me many stories about how prosperous Bethlehem, PA used to be.  

It now has but a twinkle of it's former glory.

Musikfest used to be the only attraction there and that is only once a year.

The saddest thing is that The Sands (casino) has now taken up residence in the former plant facility.

Hopefully it will bring revenue to the area and not end up like the "Walking Tall" story.

[Shuffler]

I'm in the steel industry too. I'll wait for the market to level before jumping conclusions. When the mills went to almost stop to full stop the inventories slowly dwindled. Some mills are full up to replenish the material used in the months of down time. Once they catch up we'll see if it can sustain or falters.

I'm aware of many steel suppliers still lowering their in house inventories on hand.

[Babalonian]

Not seeing it here in the construction industry.

 

Architectural industry too, we're really getting down to the lowest notches on our belts now.  But we lag a little behind everyone else.  Probabley will still be in a rut until next year... and a boom whenever the housing demand returns (because, I don't know anyone who has been buildign new houses inthe past couple of years). 

[Anaxogoras]

Wolfie....a lot of the blame for the slowness of the construction industry belongs directed at the Banks, consumer confidence,

and if you're building housing units, the crazy prices homes were selling for.  Of course housing prices vary from region to region.

When someone in California pays 400,000 for a home and someone  in Ohio purchases the same home for 200,000 that truly is a wide

disparity.

That must be a house in the central valley.  In southern CA or the bay area $400,000 might buy an apartment or small condo.

[mbailey]

My Grandfather has told me many stories about how prosperous Bethlehem, PA used to be.  

It now has but a twinkle of it's former glory.

Musikfest used to be the only attraction there and that is only once a year.

The saddest thing is that The Sands (casino) has now taken up residence in the former plant facility.

Hopefully it will bring revenue to the area and not end up like the "Walking Tall" story.

I live a stones throw from the Bethlehem Steel plants, they are just rusting hulks now, to think and entire city was built around this plant. Its such a shame.

The immense size of this plant is just mind boggeling, RR trellis' 100' in the air used to move locomotives from 1 set of tracks to another, furnaces 3 times the size of my house. The plant literally occupies square miles of Bethlehem. Now all just a ghost town, valdals have busted out all the windows of the storage buildings.  Not a fitting end to an industry that helped keep us free.

IMHO the Sands moving in there is just a slap in the face to the community.

[Shuffler]

I live a stones throw from the Bethlehem Steel plants, they are just rusting hulks now, to think and entire city was built around this plant. Its such a shame.

The immense size of this plant is just mind boggeling, RR trellis' 100' in the air used to move locomotives from 1 set of tracks to another, furnaces 3 times the size of my house. The plant literally occupies square miles of Bethlehem. Now all just a ghost town, valdals have busted out all the windows of the storage buildings.  Not a fitting end to an industry that helped keep us free.

IMHO the Sands moving in there is just a slap in the face to the community.

Same with US Steel. Huge facility closed for years and now opened as Jindal.

[CAP1]

That must be a house in the central valley.  In southern CA or the bay area $400,000 might buy an apartment or small condo.

a friend of mine lives in marlton nj.

nice house. big. tiny tiny lot. hardly any yard at all. 650k. property taxes just over 11k a year.


a former boss had a place in north carolina. his house is a typical late 70's early 80's split level, with a 2 car garage. shenendoah mountains in his back yard. his yard/lot is about the size of the block i live on.

150k. property taxes about 1500 a year.

[DaCoon]

I work in a unique industry making gaskets and plastic piping systems for the chlorine and other various chemical plants. While business did slow down for about the past year or so, it is picking up. Lets hope for every industry that the problems are just about over and done with.   

[Hajo]

Those of you talking of Bethlehem Steel.  We now own (SeverstalNA) the Sparrows Point facility. 

I was called there in Feb. to help start the Blast Furnace there.  What a monster.  Full bore it

produces 10,600 tpd of molten iron.  I stayed in Towson at the Sheraton while there.

I fell in love with Blue Crab Soup.

Also those from Bethlehem I lived and worked in Youngswtown Ohio.  I know your pain.

In the Youngstown area at one time we had 17 Blast Furnaces operating.  In the late 70s that ended.

Bruce Sprinsteen recorded a Song about Youngstown at the end of Steelmaking in that area.

I now work on the lone Blast Furnace operating in that area.  It is a demanding job.  Hard work and at times and

dangerous.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  There probably are more Attorneys in the area then men who do what I do

in the whole of North America.  When business is normal there aren't enough of us to go around.  And when recruiting

it is a hit and miss situation.  It takes someone who rides the Short Bus to do it I guess 

[John Curnutte]

 I'm a sheetmetal man and water jet programmer / operator and here in California we are full on and balls to the wall . Its a small outfit job shop and we have never slowed down , its a family business open since 1926 and is well known . Most shops are starting to get back to work and get busy and its a good thing .
                                                                      Nutte

[CAP1]

can't tell by me.......this is the worst month i've had in a year and a half...............

[SFRT - Frenchy]

Wolfie....a lot of the blame for the slowness of the construction industry belongs directed at the Banks, consumer confidence,

and if you're building housing units, the crazy prices homes were selling for.  Of course housing prices vary from region to region.

When someone in California pays 400,000 for a home and someone  in Ohio purchases the same home for 200,000 that truly is a wide

disparity.

Don't even have to be out of state, my house in Utah, 20 min West of SLC $210,000, 20 min South of SLC $300,000. Same house, same builder, same lot.

$90K!!!